Narrative:
A Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet, N52CV, caught fire prior to departure from Santa Monica Municipal Airport, California, USA. The private pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage.
Upon arrival at the airplane, the pilot began to perform preflight checks and completed a walkaround. After boarding and closing the cabin door, he continued with the checks and observed haze in the cabin accompanied by a faint smell of smoke. He continued to follow the checklists and after starting the engine, the smoke smell became stronger, and he decided to terminate flight preparations, and have a mechanic examine the airplane.
After completing the engine shutdown, he opened the main cabin door, and began to see smoke issue from the armrest area of the number 5 (right center) passenger seat. A mechanic arrived at the airplane with a fire extinguisher within a few minutes, however the smoke had become dense, and was now streaming out of the cabin door. A few minutes later, flames began to emerge from the cabin, and by 11:55 the cabin was completely engulfed. The fire department arrived at 12:02, and the fire was extinguished.
The airplane sustained extensive thermal damage, with fire consuming the cabin roof and destroying the cabin contents from the aft wall of the parachute (CAPs) enclosure through to the engine inlet nacelle, with fire damage more extensive on the right side of the airframe. Fire had consumed the lower right walls of the cabin down to the wing root, with only composite cloth remaining. The right wing was intact, but sustained thermal damage to the upper skin from the root outboard about 4 ft short of the tip. The left wing, and lower left exterior skins of the cabin were largely free of fire damage.
An investigation determined the probable root cause was a malfunction of the headset amplifier and the microphone interface circuit card assemblies for the 3.5 millimeter audio and microphone jacks. This malfunction likely resulted in an electrical short and subsequent uncontained cabin fire without activating circuit protection.
On February 14, 2020, the FAA issued an emergency AD to disconnect and remove the headset amplifier and microphone interface circuit card assemblies for the 3.5 mm audio and microphone jacks on all Cirrus SF50's.
Damaged on the ground
accident date: 27-12-2019
type: Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet
registration: N52CV
| Status: | Information verified through authorities or other official sources. |
| Date: | Friday 27 December 2019 |
| Time: | 11:45 |
| Type: |  Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet |
| Operator: | private |
| Registration: | N52CV |
| MSN: | 0010 |
| First flight: | 2017 |
| Engines: | 1 Williams International FJ33-5A |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Santa Monica Airport, CA (SMO) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Standing (STD) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Santa Monica Airport, CA (SMO/KSMO), United States of America |
| Carlsbad-McClellan-Palomar Airport, CA (CLD/KCRQ), United States of America |
A Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet, N52CV, caught fire prior to departure from Santa Monica Municipal Airport, California, USA. The private pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage.
Upon arrival at the airplane, the pilot began to perform preflight checks and completed a walkaround. After boarding and closing the cabin door, he continued with the checks and observed haze in the cabin accompanied by a faint smell of smoke. He continued to follow the checklists and after starting the engine, the smoke smell became stronger, and he decided to terminate flight preparations, and have a mechanic examine the airplane.
After completing the engine shutdown, he opened the main cabin door, and began to see smoke issue from the armrest area of the number 5 (right center) passenger seat. A mechanic arrived at the airplane with a fire extinguisher within a few minutes, however the smoke had become dense, and was now streaming out of the cabin door. A few minutes later, flames began to emerge from the cabin, and by 11:55 the cabin was completely engulfed. The fire department arrived at 12:02, and the fire was extinguished.
The airplane sustained extensive thermal damage, with fire consuming the cabin roof and destroying the cabin contents from the aft wall of the parachute (CAPs) enclosure through to the engine inlet nacelle, with fire damage more extensive on the right side of the airframe. Fire had consumed the lower right walls of the cabin down to the wing root, with only composite cloth remaining. The right wing was intact, but sustained thermal damage to the upper skin from the root outboard about 4 ft short of the tip. The left wing, and lower left exterior skins of the cabin were largely free of fire damage.
An investigation determined the probable root cause was a malfunction of the headset amplifier and the microphone interface circuit card assemblies for the 3.5 millimeter audio and microphone jacks. This malfunction likely resulted in an electrical short and subsequent uncontained cabin fire without activating circuit protection.
On February 14, 2020, the FAA issued an emergency AD to disconnect and remove the headset amplifier and microphone interface circuit card assemblies for the 3.5 mm audio and microphone jacks on all Cirrus SF50's.
Accident investigation:
|
Classification:
Damaged on the ground
Follow-up / safety actions
FAA issued 1 Emergency Airworthiness Directive
Show all...
Show all...
Photos
accident date: 27-12-2019
type: Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet
registration: N52CV
Video, social media
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Santa Monica Airport, CA to Carlsbad-McClellan-Palomar Airport, CA as the crow flies is 146 km (91 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Santa Monica Airport, CA to Carlsbad-McClellan-Palomar Airport, CA as the crow flies is 146 km (91 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2023 Flight Safety Foundation